WINTER HAVEN, Fla., June 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Global Research & Discovery Group Sciences, LLC ("GRDG"), a private research and development organization announced today that they received notice of issuance (US 10,966,424) from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") for 3FDB ("DEET Booster"). A Functional Fragrance Formulation (3F) technology that increases the effectiveness of current mosquito repellants through a delightfully fragrant compound derived from botanical oils.
3FDB is an efficacy booster for existing mosquito repellants such as DEET, Picaridin, and IR3535, among others. The booster incapacitates two of the three receptors that mosquitos use to find sources of nutrition, in this case, that source is humans.
"While existing mosquito repellants target only the gustatory receptors in insects, 3FDB uses a multiple receptor approach by targeting ionotropic, gustatory and olfactory receptors in insects to provide a synergistic action to repel insects as well as inhibit the ability of insects to detect and seek prey," says Daryl Thompson, Director of Scientific Initiatives, and founder of advanced research company GRDG Sciences, LLC ("GRDG").
While 3FDB has far-reaching applications for everyday life, the most important application could be saving lives. According to the National Institutes of Health, mosquitos are responsible for more than a million deaths each year because they can host a variety of diseases including malaria, dengue, West Nile yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya, and lymphatic filariasis.
GRDG Sciences Chief Scientific Advisor Dr. Roscoe M. Moore, Jr., United States Assistant Surgeon General (Retired) and former Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer at U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, "That this patent could pave the way for increased protection from mosquito-borne diseases around the world."
The desire to save lives was the impetus that led GRDG Sciences to seek a solution to this global health problem. The Florida team found it right in their own back yard.
How It Was Discovered
GRDG Sciences found its solution to minimizing mosquito bites in orchids — especially the elusive and legendary Ghost Orchid — found only in the wild in Cuba and the Florida Everglades.
"We looked at over 300 rare orchids from around the world — from Borneo to the Congo to South and Central America — as well as our own Florida Everglades," said Thompson. "We observed that while the mosquitos were plentiful in those environments, none of the males were ever attracted to or pollinating the orchids. The orchids were basically invisible to the mosquitos."
The team theorized that the orchids were producing a chemical that inhibited the mosquitos’ ability to find them. Through testing and research, the team identified the chemical compounds then worked backwards to find a way to isolate and reproduce them.
"3FDB works differently from traditional insect repellents. It’s effective even at very low concentrations due to its multi-aspect receptor inhibition," said Thompson.
How It Works
Mosquitos have a trio of receptors — ionotropic, gustatory, and olfactory — that detect the chemicals and carbon dioxide humans expel through perspiration and respiration. Existing mosquito repellents focus mainly on the gustatory receptor, which diminishes the mosquito’s ability to detect humans, but still leaves the other two receptors — ionotropic and olfactory — active.
3FDB, using the replicated chemical compounds found in the Ghost Orchid, focuses on the other two receptors, and provides extra protection for the third. The booster, blocks the insect’s ability to detect humans, essentially making humans invisible to the mosquito.
Long-Term Applications
The team relied on the expertise from their partners at Chemia Corporation to use the chemical compounds of the orchid as the base for its intentionally light and pleasant scent.
"This collaboration has proven the power of research and fragrance is a new frontier in innovative technology," said Thomas A. Meyer, Vice President, Innovation and Sustainability, Chemia Corporation.
3FDB can be included in a variety of applications, such as sprays, lotions, laundry detergents, shampoos, soaps, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, misters, ventilation systems, and air fresheners.
An independent forecast firm has valued 3F technology at over $86 million.
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SOURCE Global Research and Discovery Group Sciences
